TEHRAN—Five Iranian craftspeople, who are natives of Sistan-Baluchestan province, take part in the 94th Tokyo International Gift Show held in the Japanese capital from September 7 to 9.

Khameh-Duzi and Suzan-Duzi (needlework) were among the skills the crafters showed off at the event, which brought together some 3,000 exhibitors in an area of about 5,000 square meters.

The United Nations Industrial Development Organization covered the travel expenses for the crafter people, CHTN reported.

Khameh-Duzi is a subcategory of traditional embroidery in Iran. This craft is common in the southeastern Sistan-Baluchestan province, and in particular in the city of Zabol and its outskirts. Suzan-Duzi is the art of drawing images on plain fabrics by sewing delicate stitches using a needle and colorful yarns. They are mainly used to embellish women’s clothes; however, such works are applied to decorate bracelets, necklaces, bags, and scarves.

With 14 admissions, Iran internationally positions first for the number of cities and villages registered by the World Crafts Council, as China with seven entries, Chile with four, and India with three ones come next. In January 2020, the cities of Shiraz, Malayer, and Zanjan and the village of Qassemabad were designated by the WCC- Asia-Pacific Region, putting Iran’s number of world crafts cities and villages from ten to 14.

Ceramics, pottery vessels, handwoven cloths as well as personal ornamentations with precious and semi-precious gemstones are traditionally exported to Iraq, Afghanistan, Germany, the U.S., the UK, and other countries. The collective province — Sistan in the north and Baluchestan in the south — accounts for one of the driest regions of Iran with a slight increase in rainfall from east to west and an obvious rise in humidity in the coastal regions. In ancient times, the region was a crossword in the Indus Valley and the Babylonian civilizations.

The province possesses special significance because of being located in a strategic transit location, especially Chabahar, which is the only ocean port in Iran and the best and easiest access route of the middle Asian countries to free waters. The vast province is home to several distinctive archaeological sites and natural attractions, including two UNESCO World Heritage sites, namely Shahr-e-Sukhteh (Burnt City) and the Lut desert.

AM